"Whereunto
I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle,
and a teacher of the Gentiles."
~2 Timothy 1:11~

October
is Pastor Appreciation Month & Clergy Appreciation Day is the
second Sunday in October October 11th
for 2009

"I thank my God upon every
remembrance of you,"
~Philippians 1:3~

CLERGY
APPRECIATION DAY HISTORY - "In 1992, layperson Jerry Frear,
Jr., was brainstorming with church colleagues about how they
might be of help to their minister when he glanced at a calendar
and noticed that it was almost Groundhog Day. 'I though, If they
have a day for groundhogs, there ought to be a day for the
375,000 clergy people in America,' Frear says." So...for the
last seven years the second Sunday in October has been set aside to show
appreciation for our clergy. Are you planning something at your
church? Let us know so we can share it with all of Springboard.
"The reaction from pastors has been the greatest
thing." Frear says, "They are overwhelmed that their
congregations actually do care about them."
~Source: The Saturday Evening Post, Sept/Oct. '96~

"How
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and
how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear without a preacher?"
~Romans 10:14~

"Whereunto
I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak
the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in
faith and verity."
~1 Timothy 2:7~

"Whereunto
I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a
teacher of the Gentiles."
~2 Timothy 1:11~

"And
spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing
in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;"
~2 Peter 2:5~

"Pastors
who give their congregations only what they want are seldom able
to lead
them to new heights. If Moses had listened to the
congregation and appeased
them, the people of Israel would have returned to Egypt and
bondage.
A visionary pastor is one who is able to shake and rattle
people for the cause of Christ."~James
A. Scott~

The word "TEACHER" is found
in 6 verses in the Bible

"Whereunto
I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in
Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith
and verity."~1
Timothy 2:7~

Clergy \Cler"gy\, n. [OE.
clergie, clergi, clerge, OF. clergie, F. clergie (fr. clerc
clerc, fr. L. clericus priest) confused with OF. clergi['e], F.
clerg['e], fr. LL. clericatus office of priest, monastic life,
fr. L. clericus priest, LL. scholar, clerc. Both the Old French
words meant clergy, in sense 1, the former having also sense 2.
Clerk.] 1. The body of men set apart, by due ordination, to the
service of God, in the Christian church, in distinction from the
laity; in England, usually restricted to the ministers of the
Established Church.

Clergy are not just leaders from
one denomination but are different leaders from all the different
churches. Pastor, Minister, and Reverend are just a few names
that Church Leaders or CLERGY are called. There are many
different Denominations. But there is still only
one true God. Check the Online Church Directory for all the different
types of Churches that are available for people to Worship the
Lord in.

What is a "Minister"?Minister, in
religion, is one who serves. Especially in Protestantism, a
minister is an ordained member of the clergy who usually acts as
pastor of a congregation. In addition to conducting worship
services, an ordained minister usually administers the
sacraments, preaches, and assumes responsibility for the pastoral
care of the congregation. Lay ministers, who are not ordained,
may assist at worship services. For example, they often read
parts of the liturgy and lessons and help distribute Communion.
In Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches,
priests fill the role of ordained ministers.
~Above Information from The World Book Encyclopedia~

Living Sermons by Florence Belle
AndersonThere isn't a
word that a preacher can say,
No matter how lovely or true,
Nor is there a prayer that his eager lips pray
That can preach such a sermon as you.

You vowed to serve Christ, and men know that you did.
They're watching the things that you do;
There isn't an action of yours that is hid,
Men are watching and studying you.

You say you're "no preacher"; yes, but you preach
A wonderful sermon each day;
The acts of your life are the things that you teach,
It isn't the things that you say.

Oh, Christians, remember, you bear His dear Name,
Your lives are for others to view,
You are living examples; men praise you or blame,
And measure all Christians by you.

What is a Church?Church, in
Christianity, has two basic meanings. Church is the term for a
community of Christians who share a specific set of beliefs. It
also means the building that Christians use for worship and other
religious activities. The word church comes from the Greek
kuriakon, which means of the Lord.

In the early centuries of Christianity, church meant the
community of all Christians. But in 1054, a split occurred
between Christians in western Europe and those in eastern Europe
and western Asia. The communities in eastern Europe and western
Asia became known as the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

In the 1500's, a religious movement called the Reformation
divided western Christianity into the Roman Catholic Church and
Protestantism. The Protestants established a number of new
churches--often called denominations--including the Anglican,
Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.

The early Christians had no church buildings. Because they feared
persecution from the Roman rulers, they met secretly in private
homes or in underground passages and rooms called catacombs.
Christians began building churches in the 300's, when the Roman
emperor Constantine the Great ended persecution of the
Christians. Since then, most churches have reflected the
architecture of their time and region.

During the 300's, the basilica became the most common form of
church design. The basilica was originally a large hall built by
the Romans for administrative and judicial purposes. Between 1000
and 1500, Christians built numerous majestic and richly decorated
cathedrals. Many churches built today combine traditional and
modern architectural styles.
~Above Information from The World Book Encyclopedia~

Let Me SEE Your Sermon - A Poem from
Heart BlessingsI'd rather see
a sermon than hear one any day,
I'd rather one should walk with me than merely show the way.
The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear;
And the best of the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.
I can soon learn how to do it if you'll let me see it done,
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may
run.
And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true;
But I'd rather get by lesson by observing what you do.
For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give.
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

What is a Priest?Priest, in
many religions, is the title of certain members of the clergy. A
priest primarily performs religious ceremonies and gives
religious advice. Religions
that have a priesthood include Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, and
Taoism. In Christianity, the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Mormon,
Roman Catholic, and Scandinavian Lutheran denominations use the
term priest. Many of these priests serve as pastors of local
churches. In ancient times, Judaism had a class of priests, led
by a high priest. Today, however, Judaism has no priesthood.
~Above Information from The World Book Encyclopedia~

preacher - a herald or messenger
vested with public authority, who conveyed the official
messages of kings, magistrates, princes, military
commanders, or who gave a public summons or demand, and
performed various other duties. In the NT God's
ambassador, and the herald or proclaimer of the divine
word.

How are the major religions
organized? The
organization of the world's major religions ranges from simple to
complex. Many religions have spiritual leaders, often called the
clergy. These leaders have the authority and responsibility to
conduct religious services, to advise or command believers, and
to govern the religious organization at various levels. In some
religions, the laity--that is, the believers who are not members
of the clergy--also have important organizational roles.

Where do Clergy go to school?Seminary,
(pronounced SEHM uh nehr ee), is a school for training future
clergy and lay leaders for churches or other religious
organizations. It may also be called a theological school or a
divinity school and is commonly a graduate-level institution. In
North America, many religions have seminaries.

Seminary students generally study doctrine, history, philosophy,
and sacred writings of their religion. Many also study practical
subjects, such as pastoral psychology, religious education,
worship, and preaching. Most North American seminaries offer
master's and doctor's degrees. Some religious groups award
diplomas, licenses, or certificates instead of degrees.

In the United States and Canada, more than 60,000 students attend
seminaries. The Association of Theological Schools, which is the
major accrediting body for seminaries, has over 200 member
institutions.
~Above Information from The World Book Encyclopedia~

Here
are some ideas to show your appreciation for your Pastor:

Everyone has
a favorite homemade dessert. Do you know your Pastor's
favorite?

If your
Pastor has children offer to baby-sit. You can give them
a FREE voucher to redeem within 24 hours notice.

Wash the
Pastor's car. And if he has a wife then wash her car too.
Don't forget to fill the car with gas while you have it.

Purchase a
Gift Certificate for you favorite five star restaurant
and leave it in the Pastor's Church Mailbox. It is nice
to "take" the Pastor and his wife with you for
dinner too but sometimes I think they might like a
private romantic dinner. They may not otherwise be able
to afford such an extravagant evening. Of course they
would appreciate even a McDonald's gift certificate.

How about
taking the Pastor to the clothing store where you get
your suits and have him fitted for a brand new suit.
Don't forget the shirt, tie, shoes and socks. If you
can't afford that then maybe just a new tie might be
nice. You might consider giving it as a gift from your
Sunday School or Bible Study group.

You can make
a gift basket with a "theme". Maybe Gardening
or Bookworm themes. Just put all different and yet
related items to the theme in a nice basket.

A home cooked
dinner delivered with candles and a nice CD for
background music.

A gift
certificate for a professional massage or even a manicure
would be nice.

Gifts don't
have to be extravagant or expensive to be special.
Handmade items have their own special charm. Just make
sure that your gift is from the heart and they will love
it no matter what it is.

Be an Angel this month!!! Do an
unexpected act of kindness.Human
Relations from Heart Blessings

1.
Speak to people. There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of
greeting.
2. Smile at people. It takes 72 muscles to frown, and only 14 to
smile.
3. Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone's ears is
the sound of his own name.
4. Be friendly and helpful. If you would have friends, be
friendly.
5. Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is a genuine
pleasure.
6. Be genuinely interested in people. You can like almost
everybody if you try.
7. Be generous with praise -- be cautious with criticism.
8. Be considerate with the feelings of others. There are usually
three sides to a controversy: yours, the other fellow's and the
right one.
9. Be alert to give service. What counts most in life is what we
do for others.
10. Add to this a good sense of humor, a big dose of patience,
and a dash of humility, and you will be rewarded many-fold.

"FOCUS ON THE FAMILY" OFFERS RESOURCES FOR
CLERGY APPRECIATION MONTH -
Focus on the Family (FOTF) invites church congregations to honor
their
pastors during the month of October. FOTF suggests personal ways
to honor a
pastor: a pastor appreciation card; a lunch invitation; or a
promise to
pray, baby-sit, wash a car or even mow a lawn. A church can plan
a special
affirmation service, a potluck event or perhaps plant a tree in a
pastor's
honor. FOTF provides a planning guide with complete instructions
and
suggestions; a $2 donation is requested. A Spanish planning guide
is also
available. FOTF Clergy Appreciation Planning
Guide
(pdf format)

Some Church Statistics from Hearts
Blessings5% of
church folks never existed
10% cannot be found
20% never pray
25% never attend church services
30% never read the Bible
40% never give
50% never go to church on Sunday night
60% never give to missions
75% never accept any responsibility
85% never go to prayer meeting
90% never have any prayer in the home
95% never witness for Christ to the lost